Why St. Andrew?
“By wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established;”
Proverbs 24:3
“Moving to Florida from another state, I had concerns about what school my daughter would attend. With some research, I found St. Andrew. St. Andrew School has exceeded my expectations. St. Andrew is not just a school, it’s family. Everyone knows each other and cares for each other. Teachers and administrators are very involved with the students. I go to work with a peace of mind knowing my daughter is not only being taken care of but getting an excellent education as well.”
Sharleen C., Parent
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For over three decades “Building Faith, Hearts and Minds” has been the motto and impetus in providing a challenging and innovative curriculum at St. Andrew Catholic School.
Faith — Through Catholic Traditions and Gospel values, St. Andrew students develop as principled, caring and balanced, individuals, respected as children of God. Students attend weekly school mass and Religion class as part of our daily curriculum.
Hearts — New families say that St. Andrew has an inviting family atmosphere. Whether collaborating in the classroom or through community service, St. Andrew students open their hearts, demonstrating open-mindedness and a connection to others. St. Andrew teachers are dedicated professionals in partnership with families, forming the school community through Home & School as well as sports and extra-curricular activities.
Minds — Our cornerstone program, STREAM, facilitates the building of curious minds. STREAM integrates Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Art and Math, further enhancing the curriculum and nurturing inquiring life-long learners. St. Andrew students consistently score higher than many other students taking high school entrance exams.
Our Campus
Our school is nestled on the campus of St. Andrew Catholic Church, a prominent landmark in Cape Coral, Florida.
Our facilities include:
Interactive Smartboards/Apple TV in each classroom
Technology - 1:1 iPad Program (Middle School), 1:1 Chromebook Program (K-5), 3D Printers
STREAM/Robotics inquiry lab
A large art room for creative sessions
A media center with thousands of traditional and online books for all reading levels
A covered pavilion providing a sun-protected area for recess, school events, and athletic competitions
A sports field for physical education classes and soccer teams
Early learning and primary playground
Our History
1962 — Mission church established to serve the growing Catholic population of Cape Coral.
1965 — Mission church raised to parish status and original church dedicated.
1968 — Fr. Timothy Murphy appointed as Pastor.
1969 — Current church dedicated to meet increase in parish population.
1988 — Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters arrive in August to prepare for St. Andrew School opening in 1989.
1989 — Phase I of the elementary school building completed. Saint Andrew Catholic School opens on August 21, 1989 with approximately 80 students in Kindergarten through Third Grade under the leadership of Father Timothy Murphy - Pastor, Sister Elizabeth Dunn - First Principal, and a team of Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters.
1990 — Capital Campaign initiated for the second phase of the school building.
1991 — Phase II of school building completed, adding classrooms, administrative offices, cafeteria, and a computer lab. Enrollment grows to 389 students in Kindergarten through 7th Grade.
1992 — First St. Andrew Festival.
1994 — The television studio is added to the school’s Media Center.
1995 — Saint Andrew Catholic School awarded initial accreditation by the Florida Catholic Conference. The first Eighth grade class graduates.
1997 — Fr. Timothy Murphy retires. Fr. Neil Flemming appointed Pastor.
1998 — The first class to have completed Kindergarten through Eighth Grade at Saint Andrew Catholic School graduates. The school enrollment surpasses 500 students.
1999 — Saint Andrew Catholic School celebrates its 10th Anniversary. The Sinsinawa Sisters move to the Diocese of Saint Augustine to open a school on Amelia Island, and the first lay administrators take leadership. Mrs. Peg Horan becomes the second principal, and Mrs. Alicia Battista becomes assistant principal of Saint Andrew Catholic School.
2000 — July 4, 2000 — Presentation of “My Refuge” Sculpture by artist Tiité Baquero. Fr. James Flemming appointed Pastor.
2001 — The Florida Catholic Conference renews accreditation for another seven years. Mrs. Colette Ott becomes the second lay assistant principal.
2003 — Father Mark Heuberger appointed pastor. School celebrates its upcoming 15th Anniversary with the dedication of a Peace Pole and Peace Gardens on October 30, 2003.
2006 — The Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (Age 4) program begins. Playground constructed in the front of the school.
2007 — Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters return, as Sister Elisabeth Meegan becomes the third principal of Saint Andrew Catholic School.
2008 — The outdoor pavilion is constructed and blessed. Accreditation is renewed for another seven years.
2009 — The 20th Anniversary of Saint Andrew Catholic School is celebrated.
2011 — The Pre-Kindergarten (Age 3) program begins.
2012 — Mr. David Perry becomes the fourth principal of Saint Andrew Catholic School.
2013 — Father Richard York is appointed as pastor of Saint Andrew Catholic Church.
2014 — Dr. Judi Hughes becomes the fifth principal, Mr. Christopher Parfitt becomes the third lay assistant principal, and Dr. Vicki Parks becomes director for reaccreditation and circular programs. The Parish celebrates its 50th Anniversary, and the School celebrates its 25th Anniversary. STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, and Math) program is initiated school-wide.
2015 — Fr. Gordon Zanetti named Administrator to St. Andrew Parish. Mrs. Bambi Giles becomes Assistant Principal. The Florida Catholic Conference renews accreditation for another seven years. St. Andrew begins candidacy for International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme.
2016 — February 4, 2016 — The Rededication Ceremony for the “My Refuge” Sculpture, created by artist Tiité Baquero.
2017 — Faculty continues development toward STREAM and IB:PYP certifications.
2018 — The first SACS Gala is held - “The Saints & Sinners Ball” featuring a Hollywood theme.
2019 — The school receives official state of Florida STREAM certification. Dr. Judi Hughes retires and Mr. David Nelson becomes the sixth principal of SACS. Fr. Eduardo Coll is named as St. Andrew Catholic Church Administrator. SACS celebrates its 30th Anniversary at the “Enchanted Sea Gala”. Extra-curricular activities are added including Girls Who Code, Check-Mates and MS STREAM Club. The First Summer STREAM Camp is held in coordination with the FGCU - U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering.
2020 — A dedication ceremony is held for the New Playground. A Robotics program is implemented with funds from a special grant. Virtual learning begins with the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
2021 — In person/distance learning continues through the end of the school year. SACS celebrates the year of St. Joseph in coordination with the Diocese of Venice. The Diocese of Venice partners with FIRST Robotics and provides SACS with over $30,000 of Robotics Technology as SACS fully implements a PK-8th grade robotics program. Rev. Eduardo Coll is named Pastor of Saint Andrew Catholic Church. Enrollment grows to over 400 students.
2022 - 23 - St. Andrew receives its fourth accreditation by the Florida Catholic Conference and first renewal of its STREAM accreditation. SACS partners with The Everglades Foundation and earns the distinction of a Florida Everglades Champion School. Enrollment grows to over 500 students.
2023 - 24 - Mrs. Bambi Giles is named Interim Principal and Mr. Andrew Hamstra is named Assistant Principal for Student Affairs. Enrollment grows to over 600 students.
2024 - 25 - Mrs. Bambi Giles becomes the seventh Principal of St. Andrew Catholic School.